UConn's Smallwood to test NFL waters

Chris Elsberry

Published 7:36 pm, Saturday, December 7, 2013

Photo: Sam Greenwood, Getty Images

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ORLANDO, FL - OCTOBER 26: Yawin Smallwood #33 of the Connecticut Huskies watches the action during the game against the UCF Knights at Bright House Networks Stadium on October 26, 2013 in Orlando, Florida.

ORLANDO, FL - OCTOBER 26: Yawin Smallwood #33 of the Connecticut Huskies watches the action during the game against the UCF Knights at Bright House Networks Stadium on October 26, 2013 in Orlando, Florida.

Photo: Sam Greenwood, Getty Images

UConn's Smallwood to test NFL waters

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EAST HARTFORD -- After three seasons at UConn where he amassed 332 tackles, 27 tackles for loss and 9Â½ sacks, linebacker Yawin Smallwood is now setting his sights on the National Football League.

"I've made my decision, I'm going to go ahead and sign up for the NFL draft," Smallwood said after the Huskies' 45-10 victory over Memphis Saturday at Rentschler Field. "It's for real. I'm happy. It's a dream come true. This is when the work starts. It's a job now."

In his final game in a UConn uniform, Smallwood, a red-shirt junior, had seven tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss against the Tigers, giving him 118 tackles, four sacks and 9Â½ tackles for loss this season. Numbers good enough to likely place him on one of the all-American Athletic Conference football teams.

But now it's time to test the NFL waters.

"I've had a lot of good years here," Smallwood said. "I was successful here and I have to give credit to my coaches and my teammates around me. But my family ¦ we just felt like right now was the time for me to go."

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Smallwood has been thinking about the decision for some time now, talking several times with former Huskies linebacker Sio Moore, now with the Oakland Raiders.

"I've talked to Sio, we've had a few conversations but ultimately, it came down to me," Smallwood said. "This is the right time."

Smallwood said that he told his linebackers coach, Jonathan Wholley, before the game and he told the rest of the staff and his teammates afterward.

"They're definitely happy for me," Smallwood said. "They've seen the work that I've put in and they've seen what I've gone through. I'm going to miss it a lot. It's a brotherhood, like I said, I'm leaving behind my best friends. Things didn't always work out in the win-loss column for us but I came in there every single day with the same mindset and that was to keep working and improving my game."

Now, he's taking that mindset to the next level.

"I have to work my tail off and become the best, most complete football player I can become," he said. "I have to continue that (UConn) tradition."